


A Pat In The Back

by Wheres_my_badger



Series: Found Family [4]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Felix is a sweetheart, Fluff, I was never good at tagging, M/M, SO, Seungmin!Centric, Well - Freeform, and it seems I have gotten worse hahaha, and soft, and that's it, and the others helping as they can, as usual, but it's mostly the four I tagged, hyunjin/seungmin is just implied, it's really cute, just Seungminnie learning to accept himself, most of the members are mentioned, my baby deserves all the love, you can read it as romantic or platonic, your choice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-15 20:40:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15421164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wheres_my_badger/pseuds/Wheres_my_badger
Summary: Seungmin has stomach problems, and when the members find out they try to help. The problem is: will Seungmin let them?





	A Pat In The Back

**Author's Note:**

> And here it is!!! Took me a while, sorry >.<
> 
> @the person who requested, I hope you like it ^.^ I'm not quite sure how it turned out, but I hope it's ok!
> 
> The other stories will come soon, I promise!
> 
> Anyways, hope you like it!!!

When Seungmin was a little kid, he used to have lots of stomach problems. He was always complaining about sickness and stomachaches, and his mother took him to many different places to get a diagnosis. None of the doctors they visited found anything that justified it, but one of them had told his mother it would get better with time.

“Some kids are more sensitive. You could try giving him blander food for a while, but he’ll grow out of it, eventually.”

He had said. His mother had taken the advice, giving him blander food, and indeed, Seungmin started feeling better. The stomachaches stopped, and he was no longer afraid of eating.  
He was ten when he began eating ‘normal’ food again. He’d been insisting on going to his friends’ houses for sleepovers, and his mother thought she might test if he was allowed to eat out or if she needed to request his friends’ parents to make something different for him.

To his – and her – relief, however, Seungmin seemed to have indeed grown out of it, and from then on, his life became much easier. He didn’t know, at the time, that his condition would come back to hunt him.

 

Seungmin groaned as he felt a wave of nausea wash over him. In a few minutes he’d have to go back to practice, and even though it was only vocal practice, trying to sing with an upset stomach wasn’t a very good idea.

He sighed. He’d been getting these stomachaches more and more often since their debut, and he was starting to notice they weren’t going to stop. It made him anxious. He knew that feeling, he remembered his childhood problem and how it felt, he just… he didn’t expect it to come back. He clearly remembered the doctor saying it would get better as he got older – as had happened –, so why was this coming back all of a sudden?

He sighed again, looking at his phone. His break was over. He had to go practice. With a groan he got up. Usually it took only a few minutes for his stomach to stop hurting, but it was starting to take longer day by day. Seungmin was scared soon he’d be feeling sick the whole day long.

Nonetheless, he got up and headed to practice. At least it was time for individual practice; Chan had been eyeing him weirdly for a few days, now, and Seungmin didn’t want anyone to find out about his problem.

Silently praying this would go away, Seungmin headed out of the room.

 

Seungmin didn’t like worrying people. It was one of the biggest reasons why he hadn’t told anyone about his stomachaches. There were other reason, less important reasons, but his fear of being a burden was the most prominent one. He should have known, however, that no secret remained a secret forever. Specially in their group.

They were relaxing after dinner, considering watching a movie, when the others found out. Seungmin was lying on the couch, trying to control the revolution going on in his stomach. The problem had gotten progressively worse, and now Seungmin needed about an hour to feel better. He had been trying to avoid spicy and heavily-seasoned food in hopes of getting better, but it seemed to have no effect whatsoever on his condition. He had tried eating less, too, and tried resting a bit before and after eating. Nothing worked. He still got an upset stomach every time he ate, and he didn’t know what else to do.

So there he was, lying on the couch, when someone approached him running. Seungmin screamed out of instinct, but it was too late. A second later there was a Hwang Hyunjin lying on top of him, and Seungmin felt his eyes water.

“N-no…”

He whimpered.

Hyunjin’s eyes widened and he immediately got up.

“Min? Are you ok? Are you crying?”

And just like that there were eight people around him, eyeing him.

Seungmin blushed. He tried to sit up, feeling too vulnerable on his current position. The movement sent a wave of pain through him, but he fought through it.

“I-I’m ok.”

He managed to say. No one seemed convinced. Chan frowned.

“Min, c’mon. I’ve noticed you acting weird these days, I know there’s something wrong. Can you tell hyung?”

Seungmin looked down, trying to hide his tears. Then he immediately looked up as he felt like throwing up.

“I just… my stomach hurts.”

He said to no one in particular. Chan sat down next to him.

“Right now? What about the other days?”

Seungmin sighed. It wasn’t like he could go back now.

“Every time I eat.”

He said. Chan sighed tiredly.

“Why didn’t you tell us, Min?”

Seungmin shrugged, avoiding looking at anyone.

“I thought it would stop.”

Chan shook his head.

“Guys. I think we need a ‘no keeping secrets’ policy.”

The others shuffled around, a bit embarrassed. All of them had hid something in the past. Changbin had hid his fear of the dark. Hyunjin had hid the fact that he still wet the bed. And Jisung and Jeongin hadn’t exactly told the others about their problems right away either. So no one could really say anything about Seungmin.

Seungmin glanced at them. Felix seemed to be fighting an internal battle, but said nothing. He’d have to ask the boy about that later.

“I didn’t want you guys to worry, hyung.”

He said to Chan, instead. The leader caressed his cheek.

“Min, we’re a family. We have to tell each other this kind of thing, and we have to take care of each other. Now tell me about your problem.”

And he sounded so soft and so reassuring that Seungmin simply sighed and started telling the older everything.

 

No one seemed to know exactly what to do about Seungmin’s problem. The boy had already tried everything they could think of, and the company’s doctor hadn’t been able to detect any problems with the boy. So no one knew what to do. They always did their best to help Seungmin, giving him water and letting him rest after meals, but there didn’t really seem to be a definite solution that didn’t involve Seungmin taking pills every time he ate, and he refused to do that.

Until one day, and Seungmin would rather erase that day from his memory, when an unexpected solution arose. Seungmin honestly preferred feeling sick his whole life than remembering that moment.

They had just eaten dinner, and Seungmin was lying down, trying to get better, while the others did their own things. Or, well… most of the others. Ever since he found out about Seungmin’s problem, Hyunjin refused to leave Seungmin’s side when the boy wasn’t well, no matter what the younger said. So they were on the sofa, Seungmin lying on Hyunjin and the older running a hand through his hair. And Seungmin wasn’t getting better, and he was beginning to get anxious when… when Hyunjin moved.

“Hey, I’ll just move you a second, ok? I think my leg fell asleep.”

Seungmin nodded. And then Hyunjin lifted his head. Seungmin wasn’t expecting that, so he didn’t hold himself up, and his head slid out of Hyunjin’s hold. He fell down, startled, and his back hit Hyunjin’s knee, and… and a little burp left his mouth.

For a second nothing happened. Seungmin lay there, eyes wide, and Hyunjin tilted his head, staring at the younger. And then Seungmin processed what had happened and blushed bright red, getting up immediately. Only to notice he wasn’t feeling so sick anymore.

“I-I…”

Hyunjin interrupted him.

“It’s ok, Min, just…”

Seungmin shook his head.

“No, you can go, I’m feeling better, I…”

“Min, c’mon, it’s ok, you can…”

“But I’m really feeling better, this…”

He stopped. He was about to say that burping had helped him, and he didn’t want the other to know that. But he stopped too late. Hyunjin raised an eyebrow.

“Did… did it help?”

Seungmin hid his face in his hands.

“Can we just forget this happened?”

Hyunjin pulled on his wrist, and a second later Seungmin was sitting on Hyunjin’s lap. He sighed and curled up as tightly as he could, hiding his face against the older’s chest.

“Min, don’t be embarrassed, it’s ok. C’mon, tell me. Did it help?”

Seungmin considered lying, but he knew Hyunjin wouldn’t believe. So he nodded minutely, not looking up.

Hyunjin’s hand found his hair and the older started carding his fingers through it.

“Are you feeling totally fine?”

Seungmin stayed quiet for a bit. Then he sighed.

“Yes.”

He answered. Hyunjin’s arm wrapped around him.

“This is great, Min. Now we know how to help you!”

Seungmin sat up at that, shaking his head.

“No, we don’t. I can’t just… I won’t… how…?”

Hyunjin smiled softly.

“We can help you. If you just need to…”

“Don’t say it.”

Interrupted the younger, blushing. Hyunjin rolled his eyes.

“Min, are serious right now? You’ve helped me wash my sheets after I wet the bed. You’ve seen me wearing pull-ups. Why are you so embarrassed?”

Seungmin eyed the older. To someone else it would sound like Hyunjin was trying to make his problem sound stupid. But not to him. He knew how much Hyunjin hated admitting his problem out loud. And indeed, the older’s face was completely red. But he was still looking at Seungmin, expression open and soft. Seungmin sighed.

“It’s just… disgusting.”

He said. Hyunjin shook his head.

“It’s not, I promise. And we won’t just do it in the middle of a restaurant or anything like that. We’ll be the only ones to know, Min.”

Seungmin shook his head.

“That’s what people do to babies, Hyunjin. It’s embarrassing.”

Hyunjin snorted.

“Please don’t make me repeat what I just said.”

Seungmin bit his lip. He couldn’t believe he was about to agree to that.

“Ok, but you’re telling the others.”

Hyunjin smiled.

 

Seungmin didn’t eat much on the next meal. It was breakfast, so it wouldn’t be too weird if he didn’t eat much, he could just say he wasn’t hungry. In truth he was just trying to avoid getting a stomachache, but the others didn’t have to know.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work. As soon as he finished washing his plate he felt his stomach complaining. He sighed.

“Why are you like that?”

He muttered. And then he turned around to see Minho looking at him, a bowl on his hand, one eyebrow raised.

“Who are you… talking to?”

Asked the older. Seungmin blushed.

“My stomach.”

He answered, as if it was completely normal. Minho’s eyes widened.

“Oh! Yeah, Hyunjinnie told us to help you. Do you need…?”

Seungmin’s blush deepened.

“Shut up, hyung.”

Minho chuckled and rolled his eyes.

“I can call Chan hyung, if you prefer.”

Seungmin just shrugged. Minho seemed to take that as a confirmation and left the room.

Seungmin had barely processed the conversation they’d just had when Chan entered the room.

“Morning, Min.”

Seungmin groaned.

“Can I just have Hyunjin, hyung?”

Chan smiled apologetically.

“He left early today. Sorry, Min. But I can help. Just… come here.” Seungmin eyed the window. Before he could act on his desire, however, Chan pulled on his arm. “Stop being dramatic. It’s only awkward if you make it awkward.”

And just like that he pulled Seungmin to their couch and sat Seungmin on his lap.

And then he ran a hand through Seungmin’s hair for a while, before bouncing him a bit and rubbing his back, giving it little hits, like one would do to a baby.

Seungmin blushed as he let out a burp. He immediately hid his face against Chan’s chest – which was hard, considering Chan was tiny –, but he could already feel his sickness dying down.

“Feel better?” Asked Chan. Seungmin buried his face deeper against the older. Chan chuckled. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

Seungmin didn’t answer. He simply stayed like that, with Chan rubbing his back and bouncing him slightly. A few minutes later, he finally found the courage to look up. He blushed again as his eyes met Chan’s.

“Thank you, hyung.”

Chan smiled.

“No problem, Min.”

Seungmin wondered what he’d done to deserve this.

 

It took a while for everyone to get used to it. They often forgot that they needed to help Seungmin, and the boy didn’t have the courage to actively ask for their help. Thankfully, Hyunjin was almost always around to help out. He was often the one who helped Seungmin, although he sometimes asked one of the others to do it.

“So you feel more comfortable with everyone. Cause I’m not always here when you need it.”

Seungmin didn’t say anything to that.

To be honest, although it did help a lot and he felt glad that he no longer felt sick all of the time, the situation was taking a toll on Seungmin. He knew he shouldn’t be so embarrassed. Within the group there were people with more childish problems. Like Jisung, who was sucking on his pacifier more often than not. Or Hyunjin, who wore pull-ups to bed. Even Changbin’s nightlight and plushie were quite childish, just like Jeongin needing to be tucked in.

And he didn’t mind his friends’ little traits. He barely noticed them anymore, and he didn’t think the boys should feel embarrassed about it. But… but for some reason he felt extremely shy and self-conscious about his own problem. He wondered if the others felt like that. He wondered how they’d worked through that.

 

They had been helping Seungmin out for a month when the boy finally decided he couldn’t take it anymore. He knew that in the eyes of the others, everything was perfectly normal. He always thanked them after they helped him, and even smiled, so from their point of view, everything was back in order. They didn’t know the feeling of embarrassment that filled Seungmin every time it happened.

And Seungmin didn’t want to tell them, didn’t want to seem ungrateful. But he couldn’t take it anymore. He needed to talk to someone.

He didn’t know whom to choose, until he ended up by Felix’s bed in the middle of the night. Almost everyone was asleep, and Felix was probably in his sixth sleep already, but Seungmin couldn’t take it anymore. He nudged Felix.

It only took a nudge or two to wake Felix up. The boy was a light sleeper, and Seungmin was glad for that.

“Uhn? What is it?”

Asked Felix, voice deeper than usual. Seungmin barely noticed the boy had spoken in English.

“Lix…”

He said, and then he noticed he was on the verge of crying. Felix seemed to notice it too, because he sat up, eyes so wide Seungmin could see them even in the dark.

“Min? Are you ok? Did something happen?”

Seungmin shook his head. If he tried to talk he’d end up sobbing and waking everyone up, and he didn’t want that. He breathed in a few times.

“C-can we go o-outside?”

He managed to ask.

In a second, Felix was up, pulling Seungmin out of the room.

 

They ended up in the kitchen, where they could talk normally without waking anyone up. Felix made Seungmin sit down and gave him a glass of water. Seungmin eyed him. His hair was a mess and his eyes were still sleepy, but his gaze on Seungmin was worried and not at all sleepy.

They stayed silent for a while, until Seungmin stopped crying. Then Felix spoke up.

“Do you need anything else?”

He asked. Seungmin shook his head.

“I’m sorry for waking you up.”

This time Felix was the one to shake his head.

“No need to apologize. You can come to me whenever.”

Seungmin smiled, a warm feeling filling his chest.

“Thanks.”

More silence. Felix was clearly curious about Seungmin’s problem, but he didn’t press. Seungmin figured that was the reason his unconscious had chosen Felix. The boy might be bad at Korean and seem like a total crack head on camera. But in reality, Felix was one of the kindest and most understanding people Seungmin had ever met.

“Do you want a hug?”

Asked the Australian boy, suddenly, interrupting Seungmin’s thoughts. The younger couldn’t help but to laugh. He opened his arms. Felix threw himself at him and hugged him tightly. Seungmin sighed against the older’s hair. Yes, Felix had been a good choice.

They separated and Seungmin sighed again.

“I… I don’t know what to do, Lix.”

Felix frowned.

“About what?”

Seungmin cringed.

“About this whole… about my stomach problem.”

Felix frown deepened.

“Are you still feeling bad? I though we’d solved it.”

Seungmin didn’t look at the boy.

“It’s not… I don’t feel sick anymore. The… the thing you guys do helps. I just…”

Seungmin couldn’t complete his sentence.

“You’re embarrassed about it.”

The younger looked up. Felix face had switched from worried to understanding in a second. Seungmin sighed, but nodded.

“I… I know I shouldn’t be. I know I can trust you guys, and I know there are people with worse problems, but…”

Felix shook his head as he noticed Seungmin wouldn’t say more.

“You can’t measure your problems through other people’s problems, Min. If it’s hard for you, then it’s hard.”

Seungmin shrugged.

“I guess. But… I just feel so embarrassed every time, and I shouldn’t. You guys are helping me, and I’m just an ungrateful little shit who… I just wish I could accept it and stop feeling so bad every time someone helps me.”

Felix didn’t talk for a second, then he sighed.

“You know… Chan hyung said that thing about not keeping secrets, and your secret is out so…” He seemed nervous. Seungmin watched him, curious. “There’s this thing I do, that… that makes me feel so, so good. It makes me feel beautiful and confident and all of that. It’s really amazing.”

Seungmin tilted his head.

“That seems nice.”

Felix smile was sad.

“It is. The problem is… I only feel like that if I do it secretly. When someone finds out about it, all I feel is shame and embarrassment.” Seungmin frowned. He hated the idea of their sunshine feeling like that. “Recently I… I told someone about it. Two people, actually. And they were so nice, and so kind, and they made me feel good about it. But still. I’m still so scared.”

Seungmin didn’t say anything. He didn’t know what to say.

“I mean, it’s not exactly ‘normal’ for boys to like wearing skirts and dresses, to like putting on make-up.” He said, and Seungmin’s eyes widened. “Just like it’s not ‘normal’ for a nineteen year old to wet the bed or to need to be burped after eating. But those things are part of who we are, and we have two options. Either we accept it or we try to supress it. But I’ve learned… I’ve learned that supressing it is always worse than accepting it. Always.”

Seungmin could only stare. Here Felix was, admitting a secret that he was embarrassed about. Just so he could help Seungmin. It was brave and it was selfless, and Seungmin… Seungmin didn’t know exactly how that changed anything, but he could feel something inside of him had shifted.

“Lix… thank you for telling me.”

Was all he said. Felix smiled.

“I trust you, Min. Just like I trust everyone in this group. We are a family, and I know no one’s going to judge me for liking the things I like or needing something that’s a bit unusual.”

Seungmin smiled, then stood up and hugged Felix.

It was three in the morning, and they were both exhausted, and they’d just bared their souls to each other – Seungmin is dramatic, yes, let him be –, so he figured he was allowed to hug his friend.

“Thanks, Lix.”

Felix gave him a smile, his usual smile.

“No problem. You should talk to Hyunjin or Jisung, though. I think they’re the ones who can help you the most.”

Seungmin nodded, barely registering Felix’s advice. His eyes were slowly closing, and he was suddenly too tired to stay standing. He felt a pair of arms holding him. He felt safe enough to close his eyes and fall asleep.

 

Seungmin woke up in his bed. He blinked, opening his eyes, and looked around. The room was empty, save for a lump of blankets on Hyunjin’s bed, which Seungmin assumed was Hyunjin. The previous night slowly entered his mind and instead of feeling a weight on his chest, he smiled. Something had definitely changed. He stretched and got up. Felix had told him to talk to Hyunjin. Maybe he should. He just had to wait for the boy to get up.

The dorm was silent, which probably meant some of the boys had gone to practice already. Seungmin saw Minho rushing to his room, smiling as the boy shot him a quick ‘morning’. When he entered the kitchen he laughed at the sight of Jisung asleep against Chan, pacifier in his mouth, and Woojin and Chan having a silent discussion about how to deal with the sleeping boy.

“Morning, hyungs.”

He greeted, startling both boys. Woojin recovered first and smiled.

“Morning, Min. Thought we’d have to throw water at you to get you up.”

Seungmin laughed. Chan snorted.

“You’re so dramatic, Woojinie.”

He said. Woojin stuck his tongue out at the leader and Chan laughed. This caused Jisung to wake up, startled.

“See? Now you woke up the baby.”

Said Woojin. Seungmin felt worried for a second that Jisung would be embarrassed or upset. Instead, the boy pouted.

“’m no’ a baby.”

He grumbled, but there was no bite to it, and Seungmin could see a little smile behind the boy’s pacifier.

Seungmin smiled and sat down to eat.

 

Chan didn’t stay much longer in the kitchen, dragging Jisung away to change before Seungmin was halfway through his food. Woojin left soon after, too, and then he was alone.

He was the only one left in there, washing his plate, when Hyunjin entered the room, looking around.

“Morning.”

He greeted, and Hyunjin turned to him, seeming to notice Seungmin for the first time.

“Oh. Morning, Min. Have you seen Chan hyung?”

Seungmin shrugged.

“Jisungie was sleepy, so Chan hyung left a while ago to help him get dressed. Don’t know where he is now.”

Hyunjin nodded.

“Oh, ok. He’s probably still helping Sung, then. You know how Sung gets when he’s tired.”

Seungmin smiled. Jisung did tend to get clingier and more childish when he was sleepy.

They were silent for a second, then Seungmin breathed in deeply.

“Jinnie. Can… can I talk to you?”

Hyunjin tilted his head.

“Uhn, sure? I was… oh, whatever. Sure.”

Seungmin didn’t question. He gestured for Hyunjin to sit down and the older did so, seeming a bit uncomfortable.

“I… I talked to Felix yesterday, and he told me to talk to you.”

Hyunjin frowned.

“About…?”

Seungmin bit his lip. This was hard.

“I… I’ve been feeling uncomfortable with the whole… burping thing. So I went to Felix to talk about it, and… well, he actually helped me a lot, I’m feeling much better about it. But he said I should talk to you or to Sungie, because the two of you are the ones who have problems more similar to mine, so...”

Hyunjin seemed to have understood. His ears were red, as well as his neck, but he was nodding.

“I didn’t know you were uncomfortable.”

He said. He seemed a bit upset.

“Don’t be mad at me. I know I should have said something, but you were all so nice, and… and I felt bad, because you and Sung have to go through the same kind of thing, and I know you’re embarrassed about it, so… yeah.”

Hyunjin shook his head, but his expression was soft.

“Min, you can’t measure the importance of your problems through other people’s problems. There’ll always be someone in a worse situation than you. But that doesn’t invalidate how you feel.”

Seungmin chuckled. Hyunjin raised an eyebrow. The younger shrugged.

“Lix said the same thing.”

Hyunjin laughed.

“Great minds think alike. But seriously. I understand you, it’s embarrassing. I… I was looking for Chan hyung because I couldn’t find the trashcan where I usually throw my pull-ups out at. So I understand how embarrassing these things can be.” Seungmin understood, then, why Hyunjin seemed to be squirming so much. “But you need to see that we are a family, and no one here will make fun of anyone for this kind of things.”

Seungmin nodded.

“I know. It’s just hard, sometimes.”

Hyunjin took his hand.

“Try to keep in mind that almost everyone in the group has something they’re ashamed of and embarrassed about. Changbin hyung is embarrassed about his nightlight, Innie doesn’t like it when we mention the fact that he likes to be tucked in. Sungie still gets self-conscious about his paci at times. And I… well, you don’t see me changing in front of you guys at night or in the morning.”

Seungmin nodded. He looked at Hyunjin. The older was smiling at him reassuringly, and Seungmin felt a wave of fondness wash over him.

“Ok. Ok, I’ll keep that in mind.” Hyunjin smiled. Seungmin smiled back, then bit his lip. “Jinnie. Can you help me? I just finished eating.”

Hyunjin beamed at him.

 

Slowly, Seungmin got used to it. It was hard for him to ask for help, and if the whole group was present he still couldn’t do it. It didn’t matter, though. There was always someone who remembered and pulled him aside, and the other boys did all they could to make sure Seungmin was as comfortable as possible.

It wasn’t a perfect situation. But Seungmin found out, after some time, that perfect was overrated. Or at least a matter of perspective. All of them had their own thing, their own insecurities and problems. But in the end, what mattered was that they were a family and loved each other, and that was all the perfection Seungmin needed.

**Author's Note:**

> What did you guys think?? I'm a bit out of shape after a while without writing, but I hope it's ok...


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